What is the best safety tip you can give to a newly passed car driver aged 18?

creviazuk

Check the blind spot!!

Always be courteous to other drivers, it makes driving less stressfull.

wayno1

let me know when your on the road

dances with unicorns

1) WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT and 2) When you are behind the wheel, it is the MOST important thing you are doing, and nothing should be allowed to interfere with it. A car is a potentially lethal weapon; it can kill you or someone else if you are careless or believe that you are invincible. This isn't intended to scare you - it's simply a fact. If you treat it with respect, and promise yourself that you will never take your safety for granted, you will be a much better driver than 90% of the people on the road. As a new driver, realize that you are not yet seasoned and as skilled as you will one day be, and adjust your driving accordingly. While you can't be indecisive behind the wheel, don't let anybody tell you that reasonable caution is un-cool or any other crap. A little extra caution while you're new to the road can save your life.

Snowth

Mine would be a simple one - don't listen to any music, or the radio, for the first month or so. Really get to know the sounds your car makes, that way you'll become more aware when things start to sound 'wrong'. Also music can be a real distraction - you should devoting all your concentration to the pedestrians, cyclists, other road users, motorbikes, traffic lights, and all the millions of other things that can catch you out.

Good luck! You'll have a lot of fun once you build your confidence up.

greyfoxx

THE prime rule of driving : Everybody else out there wants to kill you.
Dont forget it.Drive accordingly.
Only a fool breaks the two second rule. Say that as the car in front of you passes a stationary object.If you pass the same object as you are saying it drop back a little.2 seconds gap between you could save your life.It gives you time to react. Well it should.
This one isnt easy :Dont drive tensed up.Relax a little.Its easier to notice things around you and you may notice something that could possibly cause a problem.Like the shadow of a kid behind a car.Is he gonna run out without looking?You spotted him.You can stop in time to avoid him..
If your mates start playing silly buggers in the car ignore them.Your job as the driver is to be safe..
Try and drive smoothly.It sounds easy doesnt it? Smooth on the throttle,clutch,brakes.Why? If you feel relaxed your passsengers will too.Smooth can equal safe.
Anything else? Hmm beware of speed cameras.
Bnut above all else enjoy driving.Treat it as a skill to be honed.

WYNELL G

check your blind spots

Chinaman

Treat all other road users as lunatics. Don't give any of them credit. Don't panic. YOU control the car, don't let the car or passengers control you. Congrats on passing your driving test!!

James the less

Train yourself to look all the way down the road, read what is happening, and most importantly anticipate what is going to happen plus what else may reasonably happen.

Give yourself a brief running commentary to help train yourself. It will be hard at first.

Reading the road and judgment is vital. Speed is almost irrelevant.

Awareness and thinking are paramount requirements - sadly the most neglected by most people. You can always work out what to do from first principles.

Knowledge of the rules of the road, road law and practice, signs and procedure and of course the Highway Code goes without saying. I only say it because this knowledge is lamentably poor with most people. They of course think they are quite good. Sad isn't it?

Always be in control. Never hand control to another driver.

Don't drive slower as that is not safer but do allow more time for thinking as that is safer.

Always be alert and aware of every other road user, including pedestrians. Not only those in front but also those behind and to your sides. That also means good and frequent use of all mirrors. They should make cars without mirrors since few use them properly.

Remember, between 3 & 4 out of every 10 people killed, on average, every day are pedestrians, so clearly they have a very bad attitude, since the roads are for cars. They disagree, which is why so many of them are killed.

Treat every one else on the road as though they are fools, sadly most of them are, although they are massively self righteous and think they are not.

Do avoid excessive politeness - it's dangerous. Observance of the rules of the road is polite and is safe. Don't be weak minded, as a very large number of people are, and reverse the rules of the road to be "polite." Just occasionally you will have to reverse the rules of the road for practicality's sake. This is where thinking comes in and it will be obvious - I'm not talking about that.

Be aware of traffic flow and try not to hinder or interrupt it.

The general standard of driving on the roads is apallingly low yet the majority think they are good. They aren't. More than 50% should be removed from the roads but the Government is not interested and gets far too much in taxes etc., to even consider proper remedies. By the way, Governments don't have a clue about driving theory. No, I'm serious. Just look at the many dangerous road schemes they intoduce in the name of safety. We can't change them but we can be aware.

Always give plenty of room to large vehicles, they need far more room than most people realise even though it should be obvious. They are less manouvrable so you should rather give way. Professional drivers, lorry, 'bus and coach, are generally of a good standard. They have to pass a harder test and have plenty of experience. Accept that their judgment is almost certainly going to be better than yours and of most people's.

What's the upshot? Well, most people are bad but think they are good. They are proud and deluded, but you be humble. It's up to you . If you want to, you can apply yourself and learn. Experience wiil teach if you receive it and want to go on. Read books on advanced driving , they will help. If not, be like most others whose ability to operate the car controls improves but their ability to drive decreases to below that which they "achieved" when they passed their test.

Over to you.

"R" is not for Race. and a Yellow Traffic light does not mean "Floor It!!"

chris s

believe implicitly, that all other motorists are morons, dont rely on their road signals, watch the vehicle, see for yourself what the other driver is doing.
always leave plenty of room for yourself when in traffic,
keep a close watch for motorbikes, they are a pain in the ar5e.

"Call me Dave"

You will go through an overconfidence stage and crash, may be causing minimal damage, maybe killing someone, its all down to luck, but there is this period when you feel confident before your responses become automatic, where you are lethal.
I would suggest you practice emergecy stops on wet roads when there is no one around and drive until driving becomes second nature.
However safety must take second place to obeying Laws, it is more important to learn to spot Gatso speed cameras and speed Camera vans and plod with radar than to drive safely, also traffic light cameras, it is better to be hit from behind doing a crash stop to avoid crossing on red than get a fixed penalty because in the UK 2 fixed penalties and you have to take a test again......
Bloke a few miles away reversed his car, over a 4 year old, killed him. You dont crash because you go fast, but you do get fined.
Forget safety. Keep Legal

Don't ever get over confident.

DARLENE C

why not go on a pass plus course in your area, this will cover nigth time driving and motorway driving.

there is also the advance driving test, you can learn ore about this on their web site www.iam.org.uk.

with regard to tips for driving, never drive without cleaning all your windows on frosty mornings.
remember to keep your distance form the car in front for braking.
look under the wheels of buses and lorries because you can see people walking to cross the road.

Remember what you were taught when you were learning to drive, Read your theory books still and if you learnt your theory on a computer re-test you self and keep up to date regularly. I passed my test 2 years ago at the age of 57 and like you I worry about staying safe. I see so many people on the road doing what I know they should not be doing that sometimes I think that it is me that is wrong then I remember what I was taught and how I past my test. I may never be the best driver in the world but I try to keep to the speed limits and respect other road uses. The one thing I would say is to look out for new road signs in routes that you know as we can all become very complacent.

pinky perky

remember your blind spot and dont speed!

cliff4sally

Imagine that there is a razor sharp blade atached to the stearing wheel , that way you wont go whizzing around , coz if you crash that blades gonna get you , but seriously now is when you start learning how to drive , and experiance is the best teacher there is ,you will make mistakes but if you treat the road with respect , they will be little ones and you will learn from them .

John C

It is good that you are concerned with good driving technique, but as nobody else is then why bother?

How many people who are drivers actually know all of the rules of the road and have read the highway code and UNDERSTAND it.

Sorry i forgot Speed Kills Speed Kills Speed Kills

If everybody drove correctly then would there be any need for speed limits?

Ryder

Practice makes perfect dont do anything silly if your unsure wait

blokeoaf

Do not go on a Motorway until you have been driving for 2 months then take an experienced driver with you the first time.

Bandit600

Don't confuse you intentions with your abilities.

*****

Be vigilent every second the car is in motion. You may be careful, but the other driver may NOT be.

guess78624

Drive as if you were planning every move for the next five cars ahead of you and the next five behind you! You are now operating a deadly weapon, and you have little training so far! So plan every move carefully!! Don't drive to close, don't drive too fast, and assume that you brakes will not stop you very fast!

I have 55 years on road without a wreck yet!

migdalski

1. Try not to imagine that just because you've passed your test that you're agood driver. You're not.
2. Drive as if every other on the road (and pedestrians) are idiots. That gets you towards defensive (as oppsed to aggressive) driving.

paulrb8

if you are ever out at night alone driving home, have a male tailers dummy in the front passenger seat!

make sure you check your oil/water weekly and have a spare wheel and jack.. also please dont buy a citroen saxo or peugeot 105, as the crash safety is as good as a soggy carboard box!!

oh, and when you get more confident, next spring, you can come and pick me up for a nice day at the beach.. lol x

malcy

Remember that you are still learning even though you have passed your test.

jagtic

dont drink and drive .and keep within the speed limit..just drive according to road conditions.
expect the unexpected from other drivers.you may be a good driver ,but you dont know what the moron coming towards you may be like.safe journeys and happy driving

c.j.davies

Don't forget your blind spot, specially when joining the motorway or overtaking.

terrano

Do not think that you can drive because you have passed your test it takes a long time you are always learning what those stupid drivers are going to do next.Do not go speeding,drive for the conditions be extra alert , kids in the car watch your speed drive with extra care. I know a girl passed her test Daddy very proud of her the idiot of a rich Daddy buys her an XR3. what happens she could not handle it puts it through a barbed wire fence into a field lucky she was ok. Rich Daddy did not realise he caused the accident by giving her a car she could not handle.Remember you have a lethal weapon in your hands.Safe driving to you.

angelstar

do the advanced course - Pass Plus

mikers

Keep your distance, reduce speed in adverse weather conditions, watch your blind spot, don't reverse into a main road, regularly check your tyres, oil, anti-freeeze, don't use mobile phone, join the aa,rac....

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